Willowbrook’s Amelie Ojeda counts another historic accomplishment, becomes school’s first sectional XC champ

HINSDALE – Willowbrook senior Amelie Ojeda was building off her breakthrough 2023 girls cross country season with even more training and success on the track.

Practicing inside soon after the indoor conference meet, Ojeda was struck in her left eye by an errantly thrown baseball. Ojeda was sidelined the entire outdoor season recovering from the injury and a concussion.

”I was just in the wrong place, wrong time. The next thing I knew, I was on the floor,” said Ojeda, whose eye has nearly fully recovered. ”I persevered. Even though it did take away my track season, that’s why I put a lot of work into my cross season (since June). I thought, ‘Now I have to be extra serious because this is where it counts.’”

Ojeda counted another historic accomplishment Saturday by becoming her school’s first girls sectional champion at the Class 3A Hinsdale Central Sectional at Katherine Legge Memorial Park in Hinsdale.

Ojeda, who finished in 16 minutes, 35.58 seconds for 2.9 miles, broke 17 minutes for the first time after becoming the program’s first girls regional champion Oct. 26.

For state Nov. 9 at Peoria’s Detweiller Park, Ojeda (37th in 2023) hopes to challenge the program’s highest finish (fifth).

”I want to do top five. I might as well aim for the top,” Ojeda said.

Meanwhile, both Downers Grove North teams continued trophy hopes after winning impressively.

The boys (38 points), defending 3A champions and ranked No. 1 all season, had junior Philip Cupial (14:07.37) and senior Grant Schroder (14:10.76) finish 1-2 and junior Will Surratt (fifth, 14:26.70) and senior Brady Travers (ninth) as fellow top-10 all-sectional individuals.

Cupial (seventh) and Schroder (10th) are the No. 3 and 6 returning 2023 state finishers.

”We’re just going to put ourselves up there (at state) and push the pace,” Cupial said. “Without Grant I don’t think I could push myself to my limits. It’s a good feeling knowing there’s someone that wants it as much as you.”

The Downers North girls (28) had five all-sectional performers – senior Alayna Todnem (second, 16:51.55), junior Lily Eddington (fourth, 17:09.07) and seniors Audrey Casten (sixth), Kenzie Willard (seventh), and Ava Gilley (nineth). The Trojans were second at state in 2023 and are ranked No. 2 to Barrington, third at state last year. Defending state champion York is No. 3.

”We definitely haven’t always had perfect years of feeling great,” said Casten, who ran injured at state last year. “At the point that we’re at, we’re feeling ready and excited with what that’s going to bring for us.”

The top seven sectional teams advance to state as well as the top 10 individuals not among those teams.Both sectional races featured seven top-30 ranked teams.

In the girls race, Naperville North (58), Naperville Central (123) and Waubonsie Valley (153) were second, third and fourth. Hinsdale Central (183) and Downers Grove South (184) were sixth and seventh.

Both sectional races featured seven top-30 ranked teams.

In the girls race, Hinsdale Central (183) and unranked Downers Grove South (184) were sixth and seventh.The Mustangs edged eighth-place Neuqua Valley by 10 points for their first state team berth since 2019.

”We knew that we had a shot if we ran really well. (But) nobody was expecting it,” Downers South coach Doug Plunkett said. “From where we are at the beginning of the season, they’ve come a long way.”  

Sophomores Nia Ortega (22nd), Gianna Lamb (25th) and Rose Jones (29th) led the way. The lineup has been boosted by senior all-stater Holly Johnson’s return since the conference meet.

”We’re kind of like the underdogs. A lot of people didn’t really believe in us, but it kind of just pushed us harder,” Ortega said. “We had to work really hard to get to where we are so we’re all really proud.”

Junior Lily Hodneland (15th) and sophomore Ella Satre (16th) led Hinsdale Central. Individual qualifiers included Glenbard East freshman Teigan O’Donnell (24th) and Lyons Township junior Mya Coglianese (32nd), who overcame an Achilles injury that kept her out of regionals.  

In the boys race, qualifiers Lyons Township (112) was a strong second while Morton (190) was seventh.LT seniors Ben Wuggazer (3rd, 14:16.62) and John O’Halloran (7th) also were all-sectional. The Lions expect to be a state contender again after taking  fourth in 2023 but graduating both all-staters.

”I would say our goal definitely is top five. We’re hunting for a trophy,” Wuggazer said. “We’ll see what happens but I think it’s in sight, especially after today.” 

Morton gained its first team state berth since back-to-back trips in 1996 and 1997 under current coach Bill Bloom and only fourth overall. Unranked Hinsdale Central (238) was eighth.

”We didn’t know for sure we were going to make it in so when we got the news, we were really excited,” said all-sectional Morton sophomore Miguel Flores (6th). “I feel like we’ve all been pushing each other to try to get to this level.”

Bloom figured beforehand the Mustangs needed three top-20 finishers to advance. No. 2-3 juniors Orlando Sandoval and Alex Rodriguez were 14th and 20th.Initially, the Mustangs heard they were eighth with three individual qualifiers. Then team scores were refreshed by previously missing finishers.

”We went through all of the emotions. I was giving the old, ‘Hey guys, we didn’t make it,’ speech but then they came over and go, ‘Hey, we got in by (48 points),’ " Bloom said. “It was a day of ups and downs. How exciting for this school.”

Individual qualifiers included Riverside-Brookfield senior Brady Norman (13th), Downers South sophomore Conrad Saner (19th), Glenbard East junior Mason Hephner (23rd) and Willowbrook senior Adriano Quintero (28th), the final qualifier by 3.25 seconds.